Tag Archives: Chinese trade

The market for geoducks harvested in Washington state has
shifted from China to other Asian countries, primarily Hong Kong
and Vietnam, according to certificates issued by the Washington
State Department of Health.

Kitsap Sun
photo

We learned a week ago that the Chinese ban on imports from the
U.S. West Coast will continue until Chinese health authorities
better understand the U.S. system of protecting public health. See
Water Ways, Feb. 4, with links to other sources of
information.

The ban caused exporters to find new markets. I reported these
numbers in a story published in
yesterday’s Kitsap Sun (subscription):

“Health certificates issued by the Washington State Department
of Health totaled 757 in January — more than double the 373
certificates issued in January 2013, when shipments were still
going into China. These certificates are required to identify the
shellfish-growing area and ensure that a given shipment of seafood
is safe to eat.

“Of the 757 certificates issued in January, 409 designated
shipments into Hong Kong, while 243 designated shipments into
Vietnam. Other shipments were to Malaysia, 38; Thailand, 24;
Indonesia, 8; and a number of countries with smaller shipments.
Because shipments were closed off to China in January, no
certificates were issued for that country.”

Wild geoduck harvesting is a multi-million industry, bringing
significant revenues to businesses, tribes and state
government.

Yesterday’s story, which was picked up by the Associated Press,
describes how state and tribal geoduck divers appear to be on track
to take their allocations of deep-water geoducks.

How many of these giant clams are getting into China illicitly
and by what routes has been hard to track down. I have collected
many rumors and comments on background, but I’ve been unable to
verify the most provocative stories.

A new harvest year begins in April with new allocations of
geoducks for the state and tribes. Meanwhile, the Department of
Natural Resources has scheduled a bid opening for state geoduck
tracts later this month.

It will be interesting to see how the Chinese ban on imports
from the U.S. West Coast affects the price of geoducks over the
coming year. So far, after a short closure when the ban was
imposed, prices for wild geoducks have been holding fairly stable,
according to officials involved in the market.

U.S. officials say they have not heard a word from Chinese
health authorities since the Washington State Department of Health
sent test results showing that geoducks from Puget Sound are safe
to eat.

A ban on shellfish imports from the Northwest continues. By all
accounts, it appears that U.S. shellfish exporters will miss a
chance to provide geoducks, oysters and other shellfish to China
during lucrative Chinese New Year celebrations next week.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has sent the
health department’s test results to China, NOAA spokeswoman Connie
Barclay told me yesterday. “We will continue to work with folks to
see if we can resolve this issue,” she said.

Meanwhile, Chinese Central Television (CCTV), a
government-sponsored TV network in China, has produced a video
describing the issue, including the economic effects on shellfish
growers. It’s a pretty straightforward piece, but offers no hint
about what further steps may be taken by the Chinese
government.